Prep for 2015 Freedom Challenge / Race to Rhodes

[MTBeer]

Andrew Barnes heading up Lehanas. Who will get to Rhodes first?

[Dusty]

Andrew Barnes heading up Lehanas. Who will get to Rhodes first?

Technically Mike should be able to time trial it into Rhodes which would be unwise for a RASA rider to do. He should win R2R. Gawie started a day before him I think.

 

I am assuming that RASA riders can win R2R

[Shebeen]

Going to be an interesting race.

 

Where would you say is the next potential area where they will split again? Be it, slightly different route choice or sleep choice...

Well there you go, straight away! - LEHANAS/MACAMBALA!

 

Barnes should get there first, Lehana's is quicker and he had a bit of a lead and way more rest! I reckon Tim has gone this way around as he spent lots of time on his feet last night, must be keen to ride now. It used to be that you had to go the Lehana's route to really 'earn' your blanket, but I think it's quite a personal thing. here are the two options

 

 

VIA MCAMBALALA (28 kms) (ADVISED IN BAD WEATHER)

Once the road crosses the Tina River it swings to the south east. Continue on around the spur to the next valley 

(2.5 kms) Here cattle paths climb until you see a valley opening up to your right and a clear road cutting up across 

the mountain side. 

2.5

The track climbs steeply until it reaches a plateau. 2.5

Continuing northwestwards it then heads across the plateau until it swings to the left to the abandoned Phillupsrust 

cattle post - known by the local name of Mcambalala ('Thinking about Sleep').

6

A farm road runs from the cattle post down until it meets the Maclear-Rhodes road. 7

Turning right, the road then climbs gradually ascends 600 metres to Naude's Nek.

If emergency shelter is needed turning right on the Nek and it is 3 kilometres to the Tina Head Lodge

10

 

 

VIA LEHANA'S PASS (15 kms) THIS TRACK SHOULD NOT BE UNDERTAKEN IN POOR VISIBILITY OR BAD 

WEATHER.

From Ulundi the road makes a hairpin bend as it cross the Tina River. 

In the bend a cattle track runs westwards and up the north-facing slope of valley until it reaches the ridge line. It is a 

400 metre ascent to the ridge line.

3

Staying just on the southern side of the ridge line the track then follows the ridge as it climbs steeply upwards until it 

reaches a beacon. Take a photo of yourself and/or your bike as proof that you have been here.

2.5

The track then swings to the south and continues to climb gradually as it cuts up across the front of the escarpment 

to emerge at the top of the Drakensberg. There is a small container on the escarpment occupied by a shepherd 

with a two way radio who can assist you if you encounter trouble.

1.5

At the top of the escarpment continue westwards to cross the stream and to pick up a farm road. Continue down 

alongside the stream until you reach some abandoned farm buildings.

2

Turning south and continuing downwards the dirt road then passes the newly established Tina Head Lodge. 3

From the lodge continue down to the top of the Naude's Nek Pass 3

[Dusty]

dirt-rider aka PierreO is cutting it fine to make the second cutoff. 12 days to Hofmeyer. He's got to be there by 6 tomorrow morning. Big ask

[suzieQ]

Is Ingrid Avidon the lady who slept out alone in the Baviaanskloof a few years back??

[Ryanpmb]

Is Ingrid Avidon the lady who slept out alone in the Baviaanskloof a few years back??

 

I know she slept out on Mpharane last year, much like a few nights ago. Tough lady.

[Dusty]

Is Ingrid Avidon the lady who slept out alone in the Baviaanskloof a few years back??

That was Avril Meterlerkamp (sp?)

[MTBeer]

Andrew B is klapping it up Lehanas. I reckon he is way ahead in the Battle of Rhodes.

[Trackz]

dirt-rider aka PierreO is cutting it fine to make the second cutoff. 12 days to Hofmeyer. He's got to be there by 6 tomorrow morning. Big ask

 

Cutoff is 13 days at Hofmeyr (Race Office).

Still a big ask. If he gets to Romans tonight he'll be good but there's still a lot of work left to accomplish that.

 

130km in distance but some tricky nav bits ahead that will need sharp focus.

He's done well on the tricky bits out of Krantzkop. Tick

Not so tricky bit between Brosterlea/Stormberg. Should be ok. Follow tracks.

Stormberg not so simple if you haven't been there before. Hopefully good tracks to follow.

If he has it rough, there are a few farm houses between Stormberg/Romans to duck into and if he gets past Stormberg, he should be ok to push from there to Romans to Hofmeyer tomorrow.

The pivots after Stromberg, before Romans have caught out riders before, not a clear/obvious route always & if he pushes for Romans he's going through there in the dark. Risky bit.

 

Holding thumbs! Good luck Pierre!

[suzieQ]

That was Avril Meterlerkamp (sp?)

 

Ahh, thats right Avril.  Thank you.

[Shebeen]

Andrew B is klapping it up Lehanas. I reckon he is way ahead in the Battle of Rhodes.

yup. they're going quickly(or my friday slowly) tim still got a lot of climbing to do to get up naude's. prolly 3/4 hour split by the time he rejoins.

[Dusty]

Cutoff is 13 days at Hofmeyr (Race Office).

Still a big ask. If he gets to Romans tonight he'll be good but there's still a lot of work left to accomplish that.

 

130km in distance but some tricky nav bits ahead that will need sharp focus.

He's done well on the tricky bits out of Krantzkop. Tick

Not so tricky bit between Brosterlea/Stormberg. Should be ok. Follow tracks.

Stormberg not so simple if you haven't been there before. Hopefully good tracks to follow.

If he has it rough, there are a few farm houses between Stormberg/Romans to duck into and if he gets past Stormberg, he should be ok to push from there to Romans to Hofmeyer tomorrow.

The pivots after Stromberg, before Romans have caught out riders before, not a clear/obvious route always & if he pushes for Romans he's going through there in the dark. Risky bit.

 

Holding thumbs! Good luck Pierre!

The following cut-offs apply:

• • Rhodes – 8 days
  • Hofmeyr – 12 days
  • Willowmore – 19 days

Off the website - change of rules??

[Shebeen]

The following cut-offs apply:

• • Rhodes – 8 days
  • Hofmeyr – 12 days
  • Willowmore – 19 days

Off the website - change of rules??

 

 

 

I actually don't know if these cut-offs have ever been enforced(or required at all). and it's not like he's keeping a support station open. 

 

He just sneaked in under 8days to rhodes, and has done well since so maybe 12 to hofmeyr is a bit harsh!

[scuzzy]

Trying to follow this, but where the heck is Tim going?  He seems to be on the other side of the mountain?

[MTBeer]

Trying to follow this, but where the heck is Tim going?  He seems to be on the other side of the mountain?

he's taking the gravel road around as opposed to the tiger-line hike-a-bike option of Lehanas that the other okes are doing. So he is pedaling all the way while the other guys (Mike, Andrew, Gawie, etc) are hiking to the top and then hooking up with the jeep track into Rhodes.

[Shebeen]

quite an interesting state of play here.

 

Andrew and Tim are clear frontrunners for overall victory, can almost discount all other options currently.

 

Andrew probably has about a 4 hour jump on Tim currently. I looked at the check in times at support stations and chalked up a rough schedule for them so far. they were sitting at the Vuvu school hall together this morning at 9am. 75 hours after starting. Tim had been on the go for 62 of those hours(13 'rest') Andrew had been riding quicker, and resting more - 50/25.

in other words over a 3day period, Tim had been riding 80% of the time, Andrew 66%. We might not have them in the same room again till diemersfontein.

 

What next, well andrew started at tinana mission very early this morning 2am, getting to rhodes is a big day. his strategy up to now is to rest early and then leave early. If he's up to it, he might push onto Chesney Wold, the next Intermediate support station.

 

For many reasons:

a)he can break the elastic - he can be well on the road before tim is even up. Tim might need a proper rest too.

b)Rhodes is festive. the endpoint for the R2R riders, you can get sidetracked here very easily.

c)the three portages - kapokkraal, loutebron and bonthoek. much easier clearing them all from chesney wold than rhodes. Just ask pierre and andrew hunt what it's like doing them in the dark!